The Rebel Spell, Broadcast Zero, End Program & Cambridge @ the Cobalt

We stumbled on to Main Street, our bodies sore, our ears ringing, our voices hoarse, drenched in sweat and beer. Another night at the Cobalt.

On Friday, May 22nd, Cambridge, End Program, Broadcast Zero and The Rebel Spell played to a full house of punk rockers at the legendary venue in the downtown east side of Vancouver, Canada’s most impoverished neighborhood.

The show was a book launch event for local author Chris Walters new anti-Olympics novel, “Wrong”, which deals with the ongoing Olympic-inspired attack on the homeless and the poor and the growing resistance to it. Or, to borrow a common anti-Olympics slogan, “Fuck 2010!” It was a message that seemed to resonate with the crowd, not least with the YCL members and friends who were present.

Each of the bands took to the stage throughout the night pounding out politically charged punk rock tunes to a growing and increasingly energized crowd. Screaming along to one anthem of rebellion after another. Smashing into each at high velocity in the pit in an almost dialectical expression of solidarity and friendship.

Unlike so many shows, there were no crappy opening bands here. Each band was solid and well received by the crows. Finally, probably around midnight, The Rebel Spell took the stage, starting with “I am a Rifle” from their recent EP “Four Songs About Freedom.” The crowd exploded. When they played “See Through,” it was like the whole crowd was yelling “Fuck you, I see through you!” right at Gordo’s face. We wanted that ass hole to hear us all the way from his mansion in Point Grey.

If you’re not in Vancouver, you probably missed the show. But you’re in luck. The tour continues around western Canada throughout May and June and heads back to the East Coast in June/July. Check out http://www.broadcastzero.com/ for a list of tour dates.